The Naked Wines Rose Edit: Best Bottles This Summer
Rose and Summer is a bit of a cliché, but much like American fighter pilots' synonymity with wearing aviators and leather jackets, these cliches exist for a reason – they’re natural fits. Summer has had a bumpy start so far, with searing heat matched only by a period of endless rain, but the sun is coming back and you’ll want to make sure you have the right drinks on hand!
But why does rose go so well with Summer? It’s meant to be served chilled – perfect for refreshing yourself. It’s extremely versatile with food – BBQ and al-fresco nibbles. It’s light enough to enjoy without the sun going to your head. Finally, it’s a crowd-pleaser – garden party friendly and easy to drink.
Naked Wines have a great range of rose wines, straddling the style barometer from light and dry to fruity and sweet. Many of their top wine makers have a rose, with a huge number scoring over a 90% approval rating.
I’ve narrowed down 5 categories and picked my top choices for each one to help you decide when you’re mix and matching your own case. We have an £80 Naked Wines Voucher off a £144.99 spend, meaning you can also drink excellent value this season!
Best Rose Wine For A BBQ
- Region – Castile-La Mancha, Spain
- Tasting Notes – A bold Spanish Tempranillo take that’s generous and ideal for those who love a powerful Rose. It’s vibrant and full of red fruits, with weight enough to carry it against grilled BBQ meats.
- Best with – BBQ, Pasta, Curry & Stri-Fry.
- Why it’s a stand out – Tomas Buendia is known as a legendary Naked winemaker, and this special Rose continues that tradition. He is putting Castile-La Mancha on the wine map.
- Region – Rioja, Spain
- Tasting Notes – Another Spanish BBQ Rose, bursting with juicy cherries, raspberries and pink grapefruit, this is a rosé with real flavour and texture. It’s richer, riper and more powerful.
- Best with – BBQ, Tapas, Paella, Rice & Pasta
- Why it’s a stand out – As Naked’s first Rioja Rose, this had a lot of work to do to be great, and that’s exactly what it is. Made by Rodolfo Bastida, head winemaker at one of Spain’s biggest wine companies, this is his passion project.
Best Rose For Picnics
- Region – Tejo, Portugal
- Tasting Notes - Pale pink and elegant, with layers of raspberry, strawberry, pink grapefruit and rose petals. It’s got a clean, zippy acidity and a super-moreish mineral finish. Light and fresh, perfect for the picnic blanket in the sun.
- Best with - Tomato salad, Charcuterie & Goat’s Cheese.
- Why it’s a stand out – This rivals Provence with ease, you just aren’t paying an arm and a leg for the fact it’s from Provence. This is mighty Portuguese Rose at value.
- Region – Lisboa, Portugal
- Tasting Notes – Another fresh and crowd-pleasing Portuguese Rose, emulating the Provence style once more. It’s crisp and vibrant with lots of red berries. This is better suited to you if you prefer a fresher style.
- Best with - Salads, Seafood, Tapas, even BBQs too
- Why it’s a stand out – Hermano Veloso, the winemaker, undertook his first harvest when he was just six years old! You can be sure he knowns what he is doing inside out.
Best Premium Rose
- Region – Sancerre, Loire Valley, France
- Tasting Notes - Bursting with delicate red berries, pink grapefruit and pomegranate, with subtle floral aromas – it’s the kind of elegant rosé that proves Sancerre doesn’t just do white wine brilliantly.
- Best with - South East Asian Spicy Dishes, Charcuterie, Creamy Cheeses & Salads
- Why it’s a stand out – The man behind this wine was once Chairman of the Dutch Stock Exchange, who now makes premium Loire wines for Naked that sell out year after year.
- Region – Provence, France
- Tasting Notes – A delicate blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Grenache - this elegant rosé is packed full of rich and fragrant floral aromas with juicy white peach, fresh raspberries and crisp almond on the palate.
- Best with - Salads, Grilled Meat & a special note for Sushi!
- Why it’s a stand out – This was chosen by Naked’s Angels as best in class at a tasting of 37 Provence Roses. It’s one of the best you can find.
Best Everyday Rose
- Region – Rhone, France
- Tasting Notes – Made with the best grapes from the best parcels in the Rhone, this rose is packed full of bright red berries, fresh raspberries and juicy white peach. It’s easy-drinking, pure rose.
- Best with – Chicken, Pork & Salads.
- Why it’s a stand out – Rhone rose is rather overshadowed by Provence, which is to the loss of many rose lovers. This is actually a typical Grenache Blend that you might find in Provence too, it just benefits from the warmer Rhone weather giving it that much more oomph.
- Region – Veneto, Italy
- Tasting Notes - Bright and vibrant in the glass, this lush pale blush is an explosion of peaches, pears, and nectarines on the nose and still as crisp as a green apple when you take a sip.
- Best with – This is particularly recommended with Alici in saor, a sweet and sour anchovy dish from the region.
- Why it’s a stand out – This is made by the genius behind Solaia and Tignanello, enough said.
Best Unique Rose
- Region – Pfalz, Germany
- Tasting Notes - A really complex rosé that shows the typical cassis flavours of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety. A perfect balance between ripe fruit and freshness.
- Best with – Roasts, BBQ & Grilled Meats.
- Why it’s a stand out – I’m sure you’ve already guessed why, but it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon Rose! Not only that, but it is from Germany too. The grape and country you’d expect from a rose is totally subverted, but it’s a really fantastic drink.
- Region – Marlborough, New Zealand
- Tasting Notes – A fuller bodied rose. Expect cranberry, pink grapefruit and redcurrant, with a long, crisp, dry finish. Moreish and delicious.
- Best with – More versatile - sweet, sour, spicy or herby dishes.
- Why it’s a stand out – Pinot Noir Rose is again not all that common, but better yet, this is a Rose made to show that Rose isn’t just for summer. Designed with the winter months in mind, this wine is a great match with winter food.
Build Your Naked Wines Summer Case
Use our £80 new customer voucher and build your ideal summer case. Pick whichever of these Roses takes your fancy and then don’t forget to take care of your reds, whites and fizz too.
There are plenty of starter cases (6/12 bottles) to choose from once you click our voucher and head to their site with choices of mixed, all red, all white or even a rose 6 case.